Correlation between asymmetric resection of posterior femoral condyles and femoral component rotation in total knee arthroplasty; a morphometric study

Objectives: Pertaining to peculiar designs of current knee prostheses, more bone is removed from posteromedial femoral condyle than posterolateral condyle to obtain desired femoral component rotation. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether there is a correlation between the asymmetry of the cuts and the femoral component rotation in total knee arthroplasty. Methods: We built a model to simulate anterior chamfer cut (ACC) performed during total knee arthroplasty for measuring posterior condylar offset (PCO). Right knee axial MRI slices of a total 290 consecutive patients (142 male, 138 female, and mean age 31.39 ± 6.6) were examined. A parallel line to surgical transepiphyseal axis was drawn, and placed at the deepest part of trochlear groove. Posteromedial and posterolateral condylar offsets were measured by drawing perpendicular lines to ACC beginning from the intersection points of both anteromedial and anterolateral cortices to posterior joint line (PJL), respectively. Differences between posteromedial and posterolateral PCO were calculated, and femoral rotation angles (FRA) relative to PJL were measured. Results: The mean surgical FRA was 4.76 ± 1.16 degrees and the mean PCO difference was 4.35 ± 1.04 mm for the whole group and there was no statistically significant difference between genders. There was a strong correlation between surgical FRA and PCO difference (p<0.0001, r=0.803). Linear regression analyses revealed that 0.8 mm of difference between the anteroposterior dimensions of medial and lateral PCO corresponds to 1 degree of surgical FRA (p<0.0001, R2=0.645). Conclusion: Correlation between the asymmetry of posterior chamfer cuts and achieved femoral component rotation can verify the accuracy of desired rotation, intraoperatively. However, further clinical investigations should be planned to test the results of our morphometric study. © The Author(s) 2014

Comparison of effects of supervised physiotherapy and a standardized home program on functional status in patients with total knee arthroplasty: A prospective study

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to determine the functional differences between total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients who were treated with supervised physiotherapy or a standardized home program and perform a cost analysis. [Subjects and Methods] Patients who received total knee arthroplasty between January 2009 and June 2011 were enrolled in this study; those with mean ages of 64.25±3.86 (60–68) years (n=18) and 68.08±6.25 (61–79) years (n=16) were placed in the supervised physiotherapy and standardized home program groups, respectively. All patients were evaluated by the same researcher before and after surgery, and the therapy programs were applied by another physiotherapist. All patients were evaluated for joint range of motion (ROM), pain, functional status (WOMAC), overall quality of life (SF-36), and depressive symptoms (BECK Depression Scale). [Results] A significant clinical improvement was observed in postoperative assessments. A statistically significant difference could not be found between ROM and functional levels of the patients in both groups. [Conclusion] No difference was found between the patients performing supervised or standardized home program with respect to the effects on functional status. A home exercise program can be used in the rehabilitation of patients with TKA, and implementation of home exercise programs can also reduce health-care spending. © 2014 The Society of Physical Therapy Science